Porous medium and method of making the same



Feb. 21', 1928.

F. C. DYER POROUS MEDIUM AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed May 9. 1927.

TNVENTUR\ 7 .ATTY

1 Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,660,155 PATENT OFF-ICE.

FREDERICK C. DYEB, TORONTO, ONTARIO,

'ronous MEDIUMAND METHOD or imirme THE SAME.

Application man 9, 1927. Serial no. 189,963.

This invention relates to the manufacture of porous sheet material, and more particularly-to a material adapted to be used for the porous cell bottoms employed in certain processes of mineral separation by flotation. For this purpose various natural and artificial materials have been employed, some of which are deficient in durability and others of which while reasonably durable cannot be relied on to evenly break up a fluid passed through them, nor could their porosity be standardized. I

My object, therefore, is to produce an ar tificial porous medium which is more durable than textile fabrics, which will evenl break up any fluid passed through it an which may be produced with any required degree of porosity and with the greatest certainty.

I attain my object by forming the porous medium of a series of strips of a suitable material positioned or secured together side by side, each strip having a series of grooves formed in one edge extending through it from top to bottom.

In constructing the materialI prefer to employ a composition initially plastic but adapted to be set by a subsequent treatment, such for example as linoleum compound. This material is formed into strips,-and each strip has a series of grooves formed in one edge so that when a series of strips are secured together, a sheet is formed having a plurality of series of foramens extending through it from top to bottom. The sheet is then subjected to a setting treatment so that it is no longer plastic.

The invention is hereinafter more s ecifically described and is illustrated in t ac- 1 1s a section of a mineral flotation colFnpanying drawings in which cell howing anapplication of the porous material, the subject of this application;

made; and

Fig. 2 a plan view, on a largerscale, of a sheet of porous material made in accordance 'with m invention- 5 Fig. a rspectlve view of part-of-one of the strips 20m which the sheet material is Fig. 4 a cross section of a part of a porous sheet constructed-in accordance with m invention. I a

the drawings like minerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the differentfigures. i

In constructing," a'porous sheet accord- :strength and durabi ance with this invention 1 preferably employ a composition initially plastic, and which may be a mixture of ground cork and ox1diz able oils, such as used in the manufacture of linoleum. This material is formed into strips 1, each of which is provided in at least one edge with a series of shallow grooves 2 extending from top to bottom of the trip. The material being initially plastic, hese 'groovesare easily. moulded therein. A series of these strips are arranged side by side and pressed into close contact whereby they adhere to one another. Any suitable cement orother coating may be employed if necessary, to render the adja-' cent surfaces properly adhesive. The sheet so formed is then heated for a suflicient length of time to set the composition. The

' sheet is then no longer plastic but may re- Instead of a linoleum composition, a rubber compound may be emp oyed vulcanizable by the action of heat, or anyother com-' position of matter initially plastic and adapted to be set b a subsequent treatment mig t be employe in the specific process employed provided thefinal product has the necessary strength and durability.

In some cases the porous medium may be formed. of strips of material requiring 110-.

give them the necessary ity, and such strips may be positioned or secured together side by side to form a sheet.

The material produced, as hereinbefore described, os'sesses the advantage. that it after treatment to may be pro need with any degree otporosity' an with the certainty that all material produced will measure up to any required standard. I

What I claim is:

which consists'in employing a material im itially plastic but adapted to be set by a subsequent treatment, forming said material into strips, forming a series of grooves in one edge bottom thereof; securing a plurality of such strips together side by side to form a sheet; and fina ly subjecting said sheet to a setting treatment. I i 2. A method of, forming porous media which consists in employing a material in- .1. A method of forming porous media of each strip extending from top to itially plastic but adapted to beset by a subsequent treatment, forming saidmaterial into strips, forming a series of grooves in one edge of each strip extending from top to bottom thereof; securing a plurality of such strips together side by side to form a sheet by employing sufficient pressure to cause adhesion; and finally subjecting said 7 sheet to a setting treatment.

3. A method of forming porous media which consists inemploying a mixture of powdered cork: and oxidizable oils known as linoleum which is adapted to be set by a subsequent heat treatment; forming said material into strips, forming a series of grooves in one edge of each strip extending 1 rality of formed in one edge extending from top to bottom of the sheet.

5. A porous sheet formed of a plurality of strips of linoleum secured together side by side, each strip having a series of grooves formed in one edge extending from top to bottom of the sheet.

6. A porous sheet formed of a plurality of strips of semi-flexible material secured together side by side, each strip having a' series of grooves formed in one edge extending from top to bottom of the sheet.

-7. which consists in grooving one edge of each of a plurality of strips of suitable solid materail and positioning and holding a series of said strips side by side to form a sheet with foramen extending through the same from top to bottom.

vSigned at Toronto, Canada, this 6th day of May, 1927.

FREDK. C. DY-ER.

A method of forming porous media. 

